Roller lifter



March 16, 1943.

' ROLLER LIFTER Filed Jan. 28. 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 AITDRNEYB M. R. MARTIN 2,3 11,284

March 16, 1943.

M. R. MARTIN ROLLER LIFTER Filed Jan 28." 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A'ITD R N EYE Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROLLER LIFTER Merrell R. Martin, Gilbertsville, Ky. Application January 28, 1942, Serial No. 428,631

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a roller lifter and has for an object to provide a device of this character which is adapted to lift the track rollers of a caterpillar type tractor or other machine into position for bolting them into the machine frame.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings of this specification:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation looking toward one end of a roller lifter constructed in accordanc with the invention.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation looking toward the other end of the roller lifter.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the roller lifter.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the roller lifter.

Figure 5 is a detail front elevation showing the rollers on the crank shafts engaging a tractor roller having two flanges.

Figure 6 is a detail view in front elevation showing the rollers on the crank shafts engaging tractors of the single flange type.

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the roller lifter showing the tractor roller elevated by the roller lifter.

Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 7 but showing the initial position of the parts to lift the tractor rollers.

Referring now to the drawings in which like .characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, the roller lifter comprises a pair of spaced bars I0 of right angular cross section, connected by a vertically disposed plate H adjacent their mid portions, and connected by a vertically disposed plate l2 at one end, the plate l2 being provided with spaced arcuate racks l3 on the upper edge, see Figure 1.

A pair of crank shafts M are journaled in aligned openings in the plates II and I2, the offset portions IE, or cranks, of which lie forwardly of the plate H, see Figures 3 and 4.

A pair of levers I6, each formed of spaced bars which straddle respective rack portions of the forming a part plate l2, are provided with integral collars H which are rigidly secured to the crank shafts M by set screws l8. A pawl I9 is slideably mounted between the bars of each lever l6 and is yieldably engaged with a respective arcuate rack through the medium of a helical spring 20 disposed between the bars which comprise the lever and confined between the pawl and stop lug 2| disposed between the bars which comprise each lever.

Each pawl is connected to a pull rod 22 which extends along the respective lever and near the outer end is equipped with a ring 23 through the medium of which the pawl may be retracted from the rack when the operators grip is closed upon a lateral handle 24 which projects from the outer end of the lever. The outer end of the pull rod projects loosely through a guide opening 25 in the respective lateral handle 24.

The crank shafts l4 each have slideably mounted thereon a pair of rollers 26 which are disposed forwardly beyond the cranks I5. The sliding movement of the rollers permits the rollers to be shifted slightly in either direction to align the bolt receiving openings in the track roller 21 and in the frame of the caterpillar tractor.

In operation the rollers 26 are disposed underneath the track rollers 21 of the tractor and the levers [6 are swung upwardly from the position shown in Figure l to lift the rollers 26 through the medium of the cranks l5 moving through an are when the shafts M are turned by the levers so that the track rollers 21 will be raised to a position where they may be bolted to the frame of the caterpillar tractor. To lower the track rollers the operation just described is reversed.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A roller lifter adapted to lift the track rollers of the caterpillar type tractor or other machine into position for bolting them to the machine frame, comprising a pair of spaced bars, a plate connecting the bars together at their mid portions, a plate connecting the bars together at one end having spaced arcuate racks on the upper edge, a pair of crank shafts journaled in aligned bearing openings in both plates, the cranks of the shafts being disposed between the ends of the shafts and forwardly of the first named plate, a pair of levers secured to the crank shafts for rotating the crank shafts, pawls slideably mounted on the levers spring pressed to engage respective arcuate racks, and a pair of spaced rollers on the crank shafts adjacent to the cranks thereof adapted to be engaged with the track or other rollers to be lifted, movement of the levers through an are turning the crank shafts to raise and lower the first named rollers for moving the track rollers correspondingly.

2. The structure as of claim 1 and in which the first named rollers are slideably mounted on the crank shafts so that they may be shifted slightly longitudinally of the shafts in order to align the bolt receiving openings in the track rollers and in the frame of the tractor.

3. The structure as of claim 1 and in which the levers are each formed of a pair of bars straddling the respective rack portions of the a second named plate and fixed rigidly to a respective crank shaft, and a lateral handl on the upper end of the lever, adapted to be gripped for rocking the lever.

- 4. The structure as of claim 1 and in which the pawl is spring pressed toward the respective 

